Corpus Christi RTA adds Port Aransas ferry shuttle

There's a new way to cross the Port Aransas ferry while skipping much of the lines that can last hours during peak times.

The Corpus Christi Regional Transportation Authority this week announced Route 99 for Port Aransas riders. The route is mostly contained within the existing Route 94 that services the area, but this one includes a trip across the ferry to the mainland.

The shuttle will have a special priority lane getting on the ferry, so riders won't be subject to lengthy waits.

“This shuttle will allow for more mobility for all people in Port Aransas in particular the workers who may not possess their own vehicles,” Kelly Coughlin, the RTA's director of marketing, said in a statement. “We also believe that this shuttle will help provide more mobility to tourists who don’t want to drive in this area.”

The route will run from 6 a.m. to 7:30 p.m., and all rides will be $0.25. There are only two stops: the park and ride on the mainland side of the ferry and the corner of Access Road 1A and 11th Street in Port Aransas.

The RTA does not service Aransas Pass — because the city has not requested service — so using Route 99 will require either a driving to the park and ride on the mainland side or requesting a cab or ride-hailing company to get to and from the stop.

The park and ride is about six-and-a-half miles from downtown Aransas Pass.

"We had discussions with the city of Port Aransas, and they requested that we had one that went on the ferry itself," Coughlin said.

It's a pilot program, so the agency plans to re-evaluate the feasibility of keeping the route on a permanent basis this fall, she added.

Because it is a pilot route, its development did not undergo the normal vetting process for new RTA routes, Coughlin said.